Easy Peach Bars

Sliced and stacked peach bars on a white platter.

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My peach bars are the perfect blend of sweet, juicy peaches and a buttery shortbread crust. They're easy to make and even easier to love — serve them for parties, barbecues, or just plain snacking!

Prep Time10

Cook Time55

Total Time1 5

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: Bars

Calories: 214kcal

Author: Samantha Erb

Ingredients

For the Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter chilled and cut into cubes

Peach Filling:

3 ½ cups chopped peaches about 5 medium peaches
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper long enough to extend over the sides of the pan.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the cubes of butter and incorporate the mixture into the flour using a pastry cutter. The butter should be finely dispersed throughout the flour mixture, and the texture should resemble wet sand.
Transfer 2 ½ cups of the mixture into the base of the baking pan.
Using the bottom of a measuring cup or other flat-bottomed jar, press down firmly to create a solid, dense base layer. Set it aside.
In a large bowl, combine the peaches, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract, stirring until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to the shortbread base, and top with the remaining crumble mixture.
Bake for approximately 50-55 minutes, or until the peach filling is bubbling at the sides of the pan and the crumble is golden.
Remove the baking pan from the oven and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Using the parchment paper as ‘handles’, gently remove the peach bars from the pan.
Place the peach bars on a cutting board and let them cool for another 30 minutes before cutting them into squares.

Notes

Use cold butter! It’s the key to getting the ideal consistency in the shortbread crust and crumble topping.
The filling may look watery at first, but it will thicken up as it bakes!
The bigger the crumble pieces, the better the texture.
Enjoy these bars warm or cold. I usually eat a few when they’re freshly baked with some vanilla ice cream on top! Otherwise, catch me enjoying them cold, straight from the fridge.
You can also use an 8x8 baking dish. Just increase the baking time by a few minutes since they’re thicker.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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